Baked jalapeño pimento cheese dip

To mark the Super Bowl each year, I like to prepare dishes that reflect each team. This year’s players are from Colorado and North Carolina, so I pondered making Denver omelets, ham biscuits, or pulled pork sandwiches for the game, but none of those really called out to me. Since it’s also the fiftieth anniversary of the Super Bowl, for inspiration I looked towards the past.

First, I called my grandma and asked her if she remembered the first Super Bowl. “If the Cowboys weren’t playing then I probably didn’t watch it,” she said with a laugh. So I studied Texas newspapers and cookbooks from the late 1960s to see what was considered appropriate party food at that time.

Chile con queso was already a popular snack, as were nachos. A variety of dips were also present at most gatherings—with onion, cottage cheese, bacon almond, shrimp, and clam dips getting the most attention. I also read about unique concoctions such as liver and onion dip and bologna ka-bobs, but for some reason those are no longer in style.

One dish, however, kept appearing in my research—pimento cheese. Back in the day, pimento cheese not only made frequent appearances on restaurant menus but was also served at home, too. This year’s game has been called the Southern bowl, and since pimento cheese has been called the pate of the South, I decided it would be a wonderful thing to share. Pimento cheese, which is a creamy mix of cheddar, piquant peppers, and mayonnaise, has long been a favorite of mine. In both my books and on this site, I have several recipes for pimento cheese, but I wanted to do something different. Then I discovered baked pimento cheese, which is exactly what it sounds like—you take pimento cheese and let it hang out in the oven until it’s molten and hot. To me it sounded like a pimento cheese skillet queso—something any Texan can rally behind. My decision was made.

To ensure my baked pimento cheese would cook evenly and not turn into a puddle of grease, I took a lead from my New Year’s Day queso compuesto and went with cream cheese as the binding ingredient instead of mayonnaise. For the pimentos, I used the jarred variety, as their unique quality is particular to the dish.

To steer the pimento cheese even more to the Tex-Mex side, I swapped in Colby-Jack cheese for the usual cheddar. For heat and tang, I threw in some pickled jalapeños and jalapeño pickle juice. And even though the cream cheese did an excellent job of holding everything together, I folded in a couple of spoonfuls of mayonnaise, as it is traditional, after all.

The pimento cheese tasted fine as it was and could easily be served cold. But I had my heart set on something warm and yielding, so I scooped it into a skillet and slipped it into the oven. After a few minutes, it emerged from the heat victorious. It was creamy, spicy, and a perfect match for tortilla chips. Indeed, chile con queso’s Southern cousin had arrived!

Just wanted to say how much I am enjoying your blog! My husband and I were recently transferred to Texas and I have been trying to soak in EVERYTHING TEXAS! When I found your blog I found a goldmine of delish food AND I love how you share the background information, ie. history etc.It's something I try to do on my blog also. I am for sure making you dish today….we all love Pimento Cheese in our family! Thanks so much for helping me acclimate to our new home!! xx

"I also read about unique concoctions such as liver and onion dip and bologna ka-bobs, but for some reason those are no longer in style." That was a literal LOL from me 🙂 Poor unstylish bologna.

I'm glad you subbed in the cream cheese; I had these horrified visions of tiny bits of scrambled egg and a slick of oil from heated mayonnaise. But maybe that's too untrusting of 60s-era cookery; I might have to try it.

Spicy, creamy, melty cheese…I. MUST. Make. This!! Thank you for creating this recipe! I have been a fan of baked pimiento cheese since I first had it at the wonderful Tupelo Honey Cafe in Asheville, NC. So excited to enjoy it again, now that you've given us a great recipe.

I am so glad I found your wonderful site. I have a homesick Texan in Manhattan who calls his mother (me) for how-to cook his missed favorites. I've been mailing him Ro-Tel and fish fry! Love the blog. Barbara in East Texas

I am excited to try this and all of your recipes. I also just ordered both of your books. As a native Texan (Dallas, Houston and Austin) currently in my fourth stint as an expat (previously in GA, AZ and CA and now in the beautiful PNW – Oly, WA), I have never missed the food of my home region more. I expect your books and blog will nicely augment my own recipes. Tonight, in thinking about how I can marry the flavors of the SW with the fantastic ingredients of the PNW, it occurred to me to try chicken fried local oysters in tacos, with homemade tortillas and a salsa/cocktail sauce hybrid. Thanks for what I expect will be many fantastic dining experiences.

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Queso has arrived!

Queso (aka chile con queso) is a spicy, cheesy, comforting favorite that's long been a delicious addition to any gathering. This appealing and accessible book features a mix of down-home standards and contemporary updates, from historical, regional, and Mexican quesos to vegan and dessert quesos. A must for all queso lovers!